Spring-wheel.



R. MGFARLAND.

p SPRING WHEEL. APPLIOATIN FILED JA-Nf-Zl, 1908.

Patented Aug. 10, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

@5MM wy@ R, MOFARLAND. SPRING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 21, Iena.

Patented Aug. 10, 1909,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I larly adap ROBERT MCFARLAND, or TATESVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPRING-WHEEL. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1909.

Application filed January 1, 1908. Serial No. 411,884.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, RennerMcFARLAND,v

a citizen of the United States, residing at Tatesvllle, in the county of Bedford *and State'of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring! Wheels, vof which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to spring wheels, and has for its object to form an improved resilient wheel without the use of a rubberor pneumatic tire.`

Pneumatic tires are subject to many well known objections, among which are their liability to puncture and their lack of duralit Inythe present invention metallic springs are used in the body of the tire, or between the rim and the tire, and the springs will yield-to the necessary extent to produce a resilient wheel having the advantages of-a pneumatic tire without'the defects thereof.

The invention comprises improved means for associating and holding to ether the rim and the tire, as said arts wi l hereafter be called, and .also for ho ding the spring therc between, such'a manner that they are op erative' freely for the intended purpose. Improved means are alsoprovided, 1n connection with the tire, for preventing skidding or side slipping of the Wheel, and to sustain the traction thereof, the wheel being particuted for luse on motor vehicles. Uther'lmprovements and advantages will be apparent from the following description and t e accompanying drawings.

' In the -draw1ngs, Figure 1 isa side elevation of the'wheel, in ha f section. Fig. 2 is a central cross section. Fig.- 3is a; erspective j view of oneof the rim sections, s owlng the 'inside thereof: Fig. 4v is an enlarged detail of one of the frames which bear upon the springs, between the rim and the'tire. Fig. 5 is a detail in section on Athe line 5--5 of he central partof the wheel'may be of any desired vor. suitable construction. As shown, it' comprises a hub 6, spokes?? and a felly 8, which maybe made of wood'. The felly receives a. metal rim,v which may be shrunk on or otherwise secured, and is preferably made of steel, in connection with fiber rings, as hereinafter explained.' The main or metal part of the rim has the form orsection of a' channel, the base 9 of which ts the felly and the anges 10 of which project outwardly at each edge. This may be convenientlypressed or cast from steel, in one piece. Extending around each flange, 011 the outer side thereof, is a ring of fiberl indicated at 11 which is screwed to the flanges as at 12. This fiber receives the frictionor pressure of the adjacent ianges of the tire, to be herein.-

after described, and serves to prevent noise and rattling and to give a good wearing sur- 5 face. At its outer edge theiibe-r ring is rabbeted .as indicated at 13' to receive a steel strengthening ring 14 suitably secured as by screws 15 extending through the ring, the fiber, and the rim flange. The tire, proper, also consists of channeled metal, with 4the flanges projectin inwardly. 'It is divided on a diametrical line, into two parts or sections, so that it maybe readily removed or replaced. Each section has a tread 16 and iinwardly projecting flanges 17, and when the the said purpose.

sections are joined lat the endstheyforma complete rim. The tread surface -is' 'rounded as shown at 18, but on the inside r1s straight,

as at 19. vThe sections are halved and lapped at the ends ofthe tread, as shown at 20. The side-flanges are halved or reduced and butted, as indicated at 21, and are joined by plates 22 ,which cover the joint and which are secured by a sufficient number of bolts 23. The splices at 20 are connected by bolts 24, the heads 'of which are preferably s uared andproject as shown, to prevent s id( ing or slipping; and it may be here stated that simi 'lar heads are used all around the surface of lthe tire, being arranged in several rows, for. The bolts-at the splices have the additional splces. This tire, so constructed, fits over or outside of the rim above described, with the flanges of the tire in working conta-ct function ofpniting `the with the ber 'rings11,' and the tire and rim form an annular chamber or space therebetween-which contains the resilient devices.

In order to sust-ain the thrust or traction between the-'rim andthe tire, ey are' connected by means of links 251W ichare arranged in pairs around therim'x' .Each link is xpivoted at its inner end by a inwhichiextends through the rin 14 and; Inge lOLand the inner end of the ink its'iitilrecess 26 produced in the edge ofthe fiber. piece 11.

At the outerend the link is slottdy'a'eindicated at 26B, the slotvin'the end of the Imkbeing curved on the same center .as the wheel. The pairs of links are arranged malternately nev opposite directions, with respect to thelcirf- I sol cumference of the wheel, so that part thereof sustains thrust land the others sustain pull. They are connected to the tire by means ol' bolts 27 which extend through the slots 26, the bolts being formed with heads on the inner ends and a shoulder or thickened neck where they extend through the slots, so that the heads will be spaced from the flanges of the tire, and vsaid flanges are strengthened by reinforcements 28 (see Fig. 3) where the bolts are screwed through the iianges. The bolts receive nuts on the outside to hold them in place. Four sets or pairs of links are used, and they' are so positioned that the bolts will be'located at equal distances apart, around the tire. When traction is put upon the wheel the central structure will turn unltil the bolts reach the ends ol theslots, when the motion will be communicated to the tire,'

to drive the wheel. The pivotalA connection of the links allows relative movement betwen the rim and the tire, incident to the compression or expansion of the springs therebetween.

The springs are indicated at 29, consisting of a series of coiled radial springs -the'inner ends of which are seated in cups or sockets 30 on the base 9 of the rim, and the outer ends of which are seated in sockets 31 each of which forms part of a frame which has inner side pieces 32 and outer side pieces 33 the latter of which work radially under guides 34 secured to the inner sides of the an 'es' v10 of the rim. The frame consistingr of t e parts 31, 32, and 33, is preferably made or cast in one piece, and the parts or arms 33 project beyond the` edge of the rim iiangesand carry rollers 35 which. rest upon the innersurface 19 of the tire. The rollers are freeto move upon the surface of the tire, to accommodate the spring action, to the extent demanded by the com ression of the springs which are under weig 1t, and as thc springs are compressed and expanded the arms 33 workin and out inthe guides34, the rollers serving to decrease the friction 'and to prevent bindingof the parts. The number of springs and associated frames may be varied as desired or necessary, according to the'rweight to be carried and the strength of the individual springs used. Under extreme pressure the inner ends of the arms 33 will stop against the base 9 of the rim, and so form a solid wheel at the point of pressure. The springs and working parts are inclosed in the s ace between the tire and rim, and inasmuc as the ilanges of the tire fit closely against iber pieces 11', a comparatively tight joint is formed which serves to keep out irt and foreign matter and which makes a com-v the springs restores the tire to its position as i the point of weight changes. Owing to the comparatively rigid construction ofthe tire and rim, the load is sustained by all the .springs in the lower half of the rim, and consequently there is little tendency to strain or fracture any particular spring.

l claim:

1. The combination of a wheel having a channeled rim with outwardly projectm flanges and radial guides on the inner sides 0 said flanges, a tire extending around said rim, connections between the` tire and rim, to standtraction strain, frames slidable radially in the uides and having bearin s at their outer en s against the inner side'o the tire, and springs between the frames and the rim.

2. The combination of a wheel having a rim with radial guides thereon, a tire extending around the rim, connections between the tire and rim, to stand traction strain, framesslidable radially in the guides and having rollers bearing on the' inner side of the tire, and springs between the frames and the rim.

3. The combination of a wheel having a channeled rim with outwardly extending iianges, said fianges having radial guides on the inner sides, a rigid tiro extending around the frames slidable in the guides and having rollers at their outer ends bearing upon the tire, and springsbetween the frames and the rim, the frames having inwardly extending -parts on opposite sides ofthe springs adapte to sto against the rim at extreme compression oi) the springs.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT MCFARLAND. I

Witnesses: v

' -MARY L. MoR'roN,

G Eo. TEW. 

